


Burden

by bluebismuth



Series: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter Fics [27]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: (gav's not really there but it counts), Angst, Arguing, Fake AH Crew, Heavy Angst, Hospitalization, Multi, OT6
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-17
Updated: 2018-02-17
Packaged: 2019-09-20 10:19:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17020839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluebismuth/pseuds/bluebismuth
Summary: Ryan acts even stranger than usual once he's released from the hospital.





	Burden

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by this post ( https://doobler.tumblr.com/post/170746513966/im-so-sorry )

Everyone was usually able to tell when Ryan was growing distant, even more so than usual. It happened most often when he got seriously injured–-enough to warrant a visit to an actual hospital instead of the medics already in the crew. As talented as they were, the Fakes didn’t really have access to medical equipment like they had in hospitals.

Jack always figured that Ryan grew so distant was because he felt like a burden on the crew, on those who cared about them. And despite Geoff’s insistence that he wasn’t–-they wouldn’t be having a heist for a while anyway, he’s got health insurance on all of them, and even then he’s rich enough to pay off any old hospital bill-–Ryan still remained stuck in that mindset. It was part of the reason why Jack knew to treat him gently; it wasn’t out of maliciousness and Ryan would eventually turn back around, back to the stoic yet caring man the crew loved dearly.

It was unfortunate that this time around, tensions were high with everyone.

Not only had Ryan ended up in the hospital for the third time this year, but the crew was being flanked on nearly all sides by rivals, and most of their time was spent driving them back. All the while, Ryan had to stay in a shitty hospital bed with a shitty hospital gown and in part of an even shittier situation.

After close to a week of recovering in the hospital, Ryan was ready to be sent home. He seemed reluctant, though, when Jack tried to help him out of his bed and get into civilian clothes. While he didn’t protest, Ryan wasn’t exactly enthusiastic about being discharged and sent back to the penthouse. Either he could sense the tension already brewing at home, or he was distancing himself, or both. Whichever one it was, Jack knew it wouldn’t be good.

Jack led Ryan out of his room once he was dressed to meet Michael, who had been waiting outside the doors. Ryan could’ve sworn he caught a worried look on Michael’s face before he and Jack entered the hallway, but a quick smile and a “C’mon, Ryan” put him at ease for the time being.

As the three of them got in the car and drove back to the penthouse, though, Michael seemed to catch on that Ryan was acting weird. He insisted on staying in the backseat while Michael sat next to Jack in the driver’s seat, and whenever Michael tried to reach out for him, Ryan would shy away like an unfamiliar cat. Jack told Michael not to worry–- _must be the meds hospital staff gave Ryan,_ Jack wondered–-before the rest of the car ride turned to silence.

\---

“Ryan!” Jeremy was the first to recognize that Ryan was back, and rushed over to hug him. Ryan, however, outstretched his hands and pushed Jeremy away, turning his gaze to the floor and hugging himself. “Is he-–?”

“Jeremy, I think Ryan’s still getting back to himself after the hospital. Give it a night, alright?” Jack gave Jeremy a thumbs up, and he reluctantly returned it. Jack could swear he heard Ryan give a sigh of relief once Jeremy retreated into the living room.

“Y’got Ryan, I see?” Geoff’s voice piped up from the kitchen. He walked over to the trio and moved to clap Ryan’s shoulder, but Ryan grabbed Geoff’s hand and moved it away before he could do anything. “Uh, what’s up with you?”

“Geoff…” Jack replied.

“He just needs some time to himself, Geoff. Don’t worry ‘bout it,” Michael finished.

Geoff sighed, taking a swig of the Diet Coke he had in his hand. “Hope it’s just for tonight. These fuckin’ gangs are eating up my free time.”

Ryan did little, save for the small grunt he exhaled before cutting through the penthouse and entering his bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

“Geoff, you know we can’t push him when he’s like this.”

“I just want him to know what’s going on, is all.” Geoff looked back at Ryan’s bedroom, a dim light shining through the crack under the door. “Gotta keep all of us in the loop, y'know?”

\---

It was 9:30 at night when Ryan emerged again from his bedroom, five hours after he returned to the penthouse. Things were winding down; Gavin and Jeremy had already gone to bed, and Michael was in the main bathroom getting ready to sleep. Jack and Geoff had stayed up, hoping that at some point Ryan would come back.

“You missed dinner,” Geoff commented, hearing the door to Ryan’s bedroom creak open. “We put leftovers in the fridge if you wanna heat it up.”

Ryan grumbled something, sounding like a “No, thanks” before he sat down on the couch opposite the other two, checking his phone.

Jack raised an eyebrow at that and sighed. “Ryan, is everything okay? You can talk to us.”

He mumbled something incoherent.

“Can you speak up?” Jack added.

Ryan groaned and sat up. “I don’t expect people who don’t love me to give a shit.”

_“What?!”_ Geoff practically shoved himself off of Jack and stood up, blood boiling. “Are you fucking serious, Ryan?!”

“Geoff, Gavin and Jeremy are sleepi–-”

_“You fucking idiot!”_ Geoff continued, pointing a finger at Ryan. The latter was starting to curl into himself, and if Jack wasn’t mistaken, he could see glints of tears forming in his eyes. “Of course we fucking love you! I wouldn’t let you stay in this goddamn penthouse if I didn’t! _How can you deny that?!”_

“Geoff, please!” Jack stood and grabbed Geoff’s arm, only to see that tears were streaming down his face as well. Ryan was hiding his head now, too ashamed to be seen crying.

Geoff wrestled Jack’s hand off of him. “No, Jack, he needs to fucking hear it-–”

“He’s still in recovery, goddammit!” Jack could feel tears brimming in his eyes now. “He just got back from the fucking hospital! You haven’t seen him at night like I do-–”

_“I don’t care!”,/i > Geoff roared–-everyone else in the penthouse was definitely awake at this point, if not the whole building. “He can’t just fucking say that to our fucking faces!”_

_As the pair continued to argue, neither of them had realized Ryan had ducked out of the penthouse completely and was on his way to the elevator. He had no idea where he wanted to go as he strapped his helmet on and hopped on his motorcycle._

_Ryan knew, though, that he wanted to get far, far away from Los Santos._


End file.
